should be at an end, but impatiently refigned: it, and returned to his wonted indigence and amusements.

One of his amufements at Lambeth, wherehe refided, was to mortify Dr. Tennison, the archbishop, by a publick festivity, on the furrender of Dunkirk to Hill; an event with which Tennison's political bigotry did not fuffer him to be delighted. King was refolved to counteract his fullennefs, and at the expence of a few barrels of ale filled the neighbourhood with honeft merriment.

In the Autumn of 1712 his health declined; he grew weaker by degrees, and died on Christmas-day. Though his life had not been without irregularity, his principles were pure and orthodox, and his death was pious.

After this relation, it will be naturally fuppofed that his poems were rather the amusements of idleness than efforts of study; that he endeavoured rather to divert than aftonish; that his thoughts feldom aspired

to

to fublimity; and that, if his verse was easy and his images familiar, he attained what he defired. His purpose is to be merry; but perhaps, to enjoy his mirth, it may be sometimes neceffary to think well of his opinions.

SPRAT.

SPR A T.

HOMAS SPRAT was born in

TH

1636, at Tallaton in Devonshire, the fon of a clergyman; and having been educated, as he tells of himself, not at Westminster or Eaton, but at a little school by the churchyard fide, became a commoner of Wadham College in Oxford in 1651; and, being chosen scholar next year, proceeded through the ufual academical courfe, and in 1657 became master of arts. He obtained a fellowship, and commenced poet.

In 1659, his poem on the death of Oliver was published, with thofe of Dryden and

Waller.

Waller. In his dedication to Dr. Wilkins he appears a very willing and liberal encomiast, both of the living and the dead. He implores his patron's excufe of his verses, both as falling fo infinitely below the full and fublime genius of that excellent poet who made this way of writing free of our nation, and being fo little equal and proportioned to the renown of the prince on whom they were written; fuch great actions and lives deferving to be the fubject of the noblest pens and most divine phanfies. He proceeds: Having fo long experienced your care and indulgence, and been formed, as it were, by your own hands, not to entitle you to any thing which my meanness produces, would be not only injuftice, but facrilege.

He published the fame year a poem on the Plague of Athens; a fubject of which it is not eafy to fay what could recommend it. To these he added afterwards a poem on Mr. Cowley's death.

After the Restoration he took orders, and by Cowley's recommendation was made chaplain to the Duke of Buckingham, whom he

is faid to have helped in writing the Rebearfal. He was likewife chaplain to the king.

pro

As he was the favourite of Wilkins, at whofe house began those philofophical conferences and enquiries, which in time duced the Royal Society, he was confequently engaged in the fame ftudies, and became one of the fellows; and when, after their incorporation, fomething feemed neceffary to reconcile the publick to the new inftitution, he undertook to write its history, which he published in 1667. This is one of the few books which felection of sentiment and elegance of diction have been able to preserve, though written upon a fubject flux and tranfitory. The Hiftory of the Royal Society is now read, not with the wish to know what they were then doing, but how their tranf actions are exhibited by Sprat.

In the next year he published Obfervations on Sorbiere's Voyage into England, in a Letter to Mr. Wren. This is a work not ill performed; but perhaps rewarded with at least its full proportion of praise,